DP proposes controversial charter revision again

The Democratic Party launched a second attempt Thursday to revise its charter to allow the cancellation of party membership suspensions for people indicted for corruption amid criticism it is trying to protect incoming party chair Lee Jae-myung.

The DP's party affairs committee re-approved the revision proposal and sent it to the party's central committee again, a day after the central committee voted down a package of amendments, including the membership suspension cancellation proposal.

Party officials said they believe the package was rejected not because of the membership suspension cancellation proposal but because of another proposed revision to prioritize the result of a general vote of party members over the decision of a conference of party delegates.

On Thursday, the party excluded that proposal from the revision package.

The move came despite criticism that the proposals are intended to prevent the suspension of former presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung and expand his influence within the party.

But pro-Lee lawmakers argue the amendment is a measure to protect all party members from what they call politically motivated probes by the prosecution.

Lee, currently under investigation for corruption, is an overwhelming front-runner in the DP's leadership race and is widely expected to be elected the new leader in a national convention Sunday.

After the central committee's decision, the DP's emergency committee proposed the revision again, this time only touching on the membership suspension clause, saying the other proposal was the main reason for the rejection.

The fresh proposal will be put to a central committee vote Friday.

Yonhap